Winding machine for golf balls



Dec. 5, 1967 M. BLOOM 3,355,303

WINDING MACHINE OR GOLF BALLS Filed Jan. 19, 1965 3 SheetsSheet lINVENTOR. 2 MLVE 5400/14 47 46 4'2 l? BY W,

415 ATTORA/E) Dec. 5, 1967 M. BLOOM 3,356,303

WINDING MACHINE P T R GOLF BALLS Filed Jan. 19, 1965 5 Shams-Sheet FINVENTOR. /s 52 24 45/ ,4 rrwwvEr es. 5, 1967 M. BLOOM 3,356,303

WINDING MAUHINE FOR GOLF BALLS Filed Jan. 19, 1965 'I Z Sheets-Sheet I/7 f I 6 m INVENTOR MEYEP .54 00M United States Patent 3,356,303 WINDINGMACHINE FOR GOLF BALLS Meyer Bloom, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor of fiftypercent to Ralph J. Atti, Glilfside Park, NJ. Filed Jan. 19, 1965, Ser.No. 426,501 3 Claims. (Cl. 242-3) This invention relates to windingmachines in general, and more especially to winding machines for golfballs and the like, particularly to such winding machines which willwind a plurality of different kinds of windings such as one or moredifferent basket weave type, a great circle type and the like.

Among the objects of the present invention, it is aimed to provide animproved winding machine, particularly for winding golf balls which willwind different types of windings such as, of the basket weave type as aninstance and/ or of the great circle type successively in differentcombinations depending upon the type of weave or winding desirable, inturn depending upon a predetermined setting which will continueuninterrupedly to perform the desired or required winding depth andautomatically come to rest when the required winding depth or requiredsize of ball has been produced.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the inventionwill appear from the subjoined detail description of one specificembodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is afront elevation of a machine made according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a rear view of a machine partly broken away, FIG. 3 is anenlarged section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is an enlargedfragmental section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a fragmental section showing a part of the control in a secondposition relative to the position shown in FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a fragmental section on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a ball after it has received a number ofwindings according to one setting,

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a ball after it has received a number ofwindings according to another setting, and

FIG. 9 is a schematic View of the several parts of the machine showing apossible wiring example of the same.

In the embodiment shown, there is provided a housing 1 having a platform2 to receive the motor 3 which is connected by the wires 4 and 5, seeFIG. 9, to the main switch 6 which is connected by the wires 7 and 8 tothe main conductors 9 and 10 connected to a supply of power not shown.In the walls 11 and 12 there is journalled the slidable and rotatableshaft 13 which has a sheave 14 at one end outside of the wall 11 toreceive the belt 15 which is drivingly connected to the sheave 16 of themotor 3.

The sheave 14 on the shaft 13 is disposed outside of the wall 11. On theend of the shaft 13 extending beyond the other wall 12 there is mountedthe cylindrical roller 17 having a cover 18 presenting an externalfriction forming cylindrical surface. The cover 18 may be composed of'any number of substances preferably of a material such as neoprenerubber.

On the shaft 13, between the walls 11 and 12, there is fixed the disk 19to the upper end of which in FIG. 5 there is fixed and extending throughthe same the pin 20. Through the lower end of the disk 19 there isslidably mounted the pin 21 similar in construction to the pin 20. Theends of the pin are provided with rotatable balls 22 and 23 to rideagainst the opposing surfaces of the cam plates 24 and 25 respectively.In turn on the ends of the pin 21, there are mounted the rotatable balls26 and 27 .to ride on the opposing surfaces of the cam plates 24 and"ice I mounted on stub shafts which are journalled in the walls 29 and30 which are disposed at right angles to the walls 11 and 12respectively. The cam plate 24 shown in FIG. 4 is provided with the stubshafts 31 and 32 journalled in the side walls 29 and 30 respectively.The cam plate 25 is provided with similar stub shafts, one only beingshown, to wit, the stub shaft 33. The cam plates 24 and 25 are tiltablymounted on the stub shafts, such as the stub shafts 31, 32 and 33 sothat when the disk 19 is set in the position relative to the cam plates24 and 25 shown in FIG. 5, the cam plates 24 and 25 will actuate thepins 20 and 21 in turn to reciprocate the shaft 13 and therewith thecylindrical roller 17.

The setting of the cam plates 24 and 25 about their stub shafts 31, 32and 33 will be effected simultaneously since with the axes of the stubshafts 32 and 33 fixed and the crossbar 34 pivotally connected tosimilar portions of the cam plates 24 and 25 a parallel movement will beeffected to cause the cam plate 25 to move with the cam plate 24. In thepresent instance, the cam plate 24 is provided with a connection 35which has threadedly connected thereto the screw 36 connected to the pin37 extending through the Wall 11 into the cylindrical air valve 38. Theair valve 38 is provided with the air lines 39 and 40 connected to thesolenoid valve 41, see FIG. 3, connected to the wall 11. When the valve38 is energized to attract the pin 37 into the position shown in FIG. 5,it will at the same time attract the cam plate 24 and due to the bar 34tilt the cam plate 25 with it, into the position shown in FIG. 5.Thereupon the actuation of the shaft 13 will be actuated by the disk 19.

The control of the valve 38 is effected by the cam 42 mounted on thetiming motor 43 which is drivingly connected by current supplied to itthrough the conductors 44 and 45 which extend from the motor 43 to theconductors 4 and 5 respectively. The cam 42 cooperates with the pin 46in the micro switch box 47 which is connected to the solenoid valve 41by the conductors 48 and 49. This switch box 47 in turn is connected tothe main conductors 9 and 10 by the conductors 63 and 64 respectively.

In other words, when the double acting air valve 38 is in one positionwhere the pin 37 is extended as shown in FIG. 3, the pin 46 is extendedin current cut-off position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, but is yieldableto be deflected into the micro switch box 47 by the raised portion 50 ofthe cam 42 to actuate the double acting air valve 38 into the otherposition. When the cam 42, see FIGS. 2 and 9 so continues in itsrotation and reaches the depressed portion 51, it will allow the pin 46to be extended and reverse the position of the air valve 38. In otherwords, assuming that the current has been established in the conductors9, 10, 4, 5 and 44, 45 the cam 42 will rotate in the direction of thearrow 52 and assuming that the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 9 is thestarting position, the cam 42 will rotate a quarter of a cycle until itsraised portion 50 strikes the pin 46 an deflects it to actuate the airvalve 38 into the other direction. When the current is so shut off, theair valve 38 will actuate the pin 37 from the position shown in FIG. 3to the position shown in FIG. 5 where it will actuate the plate 24 andthrough the bar 34, the cam plate 25 into their tilted position. Nowwhen the shaft 13 rotated by the motor 3 continues in its rotation, itwill for a half of a cycle actuate the circular disk 19 with it to causethe shaft 13 to be reciprocated and therewith reciprocate the roller 17.

When the cam 42 thus has rotated a half of a cycle or a full one hundredand eighty degrees, the raised portion 50 will have ended and thedepressed portion 51 of the cam 42 again register with the pin 46 topermit the pin 46 to be released and extended into position foractuating the air valve 38 into its original position. When the valve 38is so actuated, it will now expel the pin 37 and return it to theextended position shown in FIG. 3 where the cam disks 24 and 25 willappear at right angles to the shaft 13 and position the circular disk 19parallel to the cam disks 24 and 25 and discontinue the reciprocation ofthe shaft 13 so that now the roller 17 will be maintained in one and thesame position.

By this control of the shaft 13 and in turn of the reciprocation ornon-reciprocation of the roller 17, the windings of the ball to be woundwill intermittently be changed so that the initial ninety degreemovement of the cam 42 will effect the ejection of the pin 37 into theposition shown in FIG. 3 where the shaft 13 is rotated without beingreciprocated and the roller 17 actuates the ball to transmit greatcircle windings to the ball and then when the raised portion 50 of thecam 42 actuates the pin 46 to deflect it into the micro switch box 47,it will reverse the action of the air valve 38 to withdraw the pin 37into the position shown in FIG. in which position the cam plates 24 and25 will be tilted as shown in FIG. 5 to effect the reciprocation of theshaft 13 and therefore the reciprocation of the roller 17 to transmit abasket weave winding of the rubber band 53. Finally, when the end of theraised portion 50, after a hundred and eighty degree rotation of the cam42 again registers with the pin 46 and the pin 46 is thereupon allowedto be ejected by registering with the low portion 51 of the cam 42, thecam 42 will be instrumental in causing the actuation of the doubleacting air valve 38 to allow the pin 37 again to be ejected into theposition shown in FIG. 3.

Preferably, the machine is set so that for the initial ninety degreemovement or quarter revolution of the cam 42, a great circle windingwill be transmitted to the rubber band 53, then one hundred and eightydegrees or one half a revolution of the cam 42 be instrumental ineffecting a basket weave winding of the band 53 and finally, uponcompleting the third quarter or third ninety degree rotation of the cam42, a second great circle winding will be transmitted to the rubber band53. On the other hand, the winding of a ball by a rubber band such asthe rubber band 53 may start with a basket weave winding, succeeded by agreat circle winding and then returned to a basket weave winding.

Still furthermore, a cam other than the cam 42 may be provided having aplurality of low and high spots alternately succeeding one another.Finally, the basket weave winding may be very small as compared to thegreat circle winding and vice versa, depending upon the type of balldesired. It has been found that with a great circle winding a harder orless elastic ball may be obtained than with a basket weave winding, andin turn that a smoother, uniform, spherical surface may be obtained witha basket weave winding than with a great circle winding so that if thedemand is for a harder or less elastic ball, a greater number of greatcircle windings than basket weave windings will be required and in turn,if the demand is for a ball with an extremely smooth or perfectlyspherical surface, a larger number of basket weave windings than greatcircle windings may be required.

The position of the cam 42 in the present machine is used to determinethe starting point of a cycle. For this reason, on the cam 42 in themiddle of portion 50 there is provided a contact point 54 to serve as acontact for the button 55 at the end of the lever 56 of the microswitch57 which is connected by the conductors 58 and 59 to the light or lamp60. This microswitch 57 in turn is connected by the conductors 61 and 62to the main conductors 9 and 10 respectively, it being assumed that theconductors 63 and 64 from the conductors 9 and 10 respectively to themicroswitch 47 are parts of the main conductors 9 and 10. Consequently,when the machine is intended to be operated, the button 65 on the mainswitch 6 will be pressed whereupon the current will be established inthe motor 3 and in the timing motor 43. The current then will also go tothe microswitches 57, 47, 66 and 67.

After the switch button 65 has been depressed, and the cam 42 has beenset where the contact 54 engages the contact 55, current will beestablished in the microswitch 57 and the lamp 60 illuminated.Immediately after the cam 42 moves so that its contact 54 clears thecontact 55, the lamp 60 will become extinguished.

The current at the same time will be established in the double actingair valve 38, the microswitch 47 merely being instrumental in actuatingthe valve 41 of the double acting air valve 38 into one or the otherposition.

The microswitches 66 and 67 are connected to the main switch 6, theconductor 68 connecting the microswitch 66 directly to the main switch6, the conductor 69 connecting the microswitch 67 to the main switch 6,and the conductor 70 connecting the microswitch 66 to the microswitch67. Consequently, either the microswitch 66 or the microswitch 67 maybreak the circuit to the motor 3 and actuator 43.

The microswitches 66 and 67 and their function will hereinafter bedescribed in detail.

The rotation of the ball in embryo 72 is rotated in the conventional wayas illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 2,694,535 of Ralph J.Atti issued Nov. 16, 1954, and comprises in addition to the cylindricalroller 17 the duplex conical roller 73 consisting of an idler having twoconical rollers 74 and 75 with the diminished ends adjacent to oneanother mounted on the stub shaft 76 adjacent to the cylindrical roller17. Above and preferably substantially between the cylindrical roller 17and duplex conical roller 73, there is mounted the roller 28. The stubshaft 76 extends through the wall 12 to one side of the shaft 13 asshown in FIG. 6. The roller 28, also an idler, is preferably mounted asshown on a stub shaft 78 extending through the bracket 79 slidablymounted on the wall 12. The periphery of the roller 28 is round axiallysimilar to an automobile tire. Preferably, the faces of the conicalrollers 74 and 75 and of the roller 28 are formed of stainless steel orthe like polished and smooth whereas the cover 18 on the cylindricalroller 17 is of course comparatively rough and presents afriction-creating sufrace. The ball in embryo 72 is mounted betweenthese three rollers and since the conical roller 73 and idler 28 aresmooth, and the cylindrical cover 18 alone transmits a definitefrictional force on the ball 72, the rotation of the shaft 13 willactuate the roller 17 in turn to cause the ball in embryo 72 to rotatebetween the three rollers.

It is not new to produce a winding on a ball in embryo 72 between threesuch rollers. Similarly, it is not new to use great circle windings norbasket weave windings. However, it is new to use in one and the samemachine successive winding forces of a great circle and of a basketWeave on one and the same ball 72 by one and the same rubber band 53.The rubber band 53 in the present instance is wound on a supply reel 80mounted in the bracket 81. From the supply reel 80 the rubber band 53passes up over the idler 82, under the idler 83 mounted in the housing 1and from the idler 83 under the cover 18 of the roller 17 on to the ball72. Preferably in practice the beginning of the rubber band 53 is woundaround the ball 72 several times and then so placed between the roller17 and idlers 73 and 28 with the rubber band 53 coming up under thecover 18 onto the far side of the ball 72. Thereupon, if the machine isset to start with great circle windings, the initial quarter cycle orninety degree rotation of the cam 42 will cause the great circlewindings .84, see FIG. 8 to be formed on the same. Thereafter, withoutremoving the ball 72 from contact with the cover 18 and idlers 73 and 28but by mere actuation of the cam plates 24 and 25 as aforesaid, theshaft 13 will be reciprocated to form basket weave windings such as thewindings 85 in FIG. 7. As the diameter of the ball 72 increases, theidler 28 will exercise an elevating force on the bracket 79.

The bracket 79 will be weighted by any one or more different types ofweights. As an instance, it may have mounted on it the rod 86, see FIGS.1 and 4 on which are mounted weights such as the weights 87 and 88.

Still furthermore, should additional weight be required, the lever 89pivotally mounted at 90 to the housing 1 may be pin and slot connectedto the bracket 79 by the pin 91 on the bracket 79 extending through theslot 92 in the lever 89. On the right hand portion 93 of the lever 89,weights may be attached or suspended at will depending upon theadditional weight to be supplied. In order to remove the ball 72 withoutdifiiculty, the bracket 79 may be raised by the lever 89 by merelydepressing the end 94 as shown in FIG. 1.

In order automatically to bring the roller 17 and thereby the motor 3 torest when the desired number of windings from the rubber band 53 havebeen accumulated, such stoppage will be achievedby the contact 95 on thebracket engaging the switch arm 96 pivotally mounted on the switch shaft97 and in turn actuating the contact arm 98 to engage the pin or arm 99of the microswitch 66. This contact will cause the current to the motor3 to be interrupted.

Similarly, should the rubber band 53 break during the operationaforesaid, then due to the roller 100 resting on the rubber'band 53between the idler 83 and the roller 75, the microswitch 67 will beactuated, the roller 100 being mounted on the arm 101 pivoted at 102 andhaving the arm 103 in position to engage the contact 104 of themicroswitch 67. The arm 103 will engage the contact 104 when the roller100 drops due to the breaking of the rubber band 53 and therebyinterrupt the current through the conductor 69, microswitch 67,conductor 70, microswitch 66 and conductor 68 to the main switch 6.

While sizes and dimensions may be immaterial to a certain extent, it maybe desirable here to point out that excellent results have been achievedwhen the shaft 13 of the motor 3 operates at about 1000 rpm, thediameter of the rubber strand, strip or band 53 is about .0625" in widthand .020" in thickness, the size of the ball in embryo 72 about one andone half inches in diameter before the winding is started, theoscillation or reciprocation equaling about 1725 rpm, whether the ballto be produced is the British or American ball with the exception thatfor the smaller British ball which is 1.62" in diameter with the ball inembryo 72 before the cover is attached being about 1.58 in diameter andthat the larger American ball which is 1.68" in diameter, the final ballin embryo before receiving the cover is 1.60".

The material of the several parts of this machine are also immaterial toa certain extent. However, it may be desirable here to point out thatexcellent results have resulted when the cylindrical cover 18 iscomposed of neoprene rubber and the duplex conical roller 73 and theupper roller 28 are composed of stainless steel with highly polishedsurfaces for the faces of the duplex conical roller 73 and the upperroller 28.

Preferably also the pressure normally maintained in the double actingair valve 38 will be about fifty pounds.

For the average basket weave, the shaft 13 is moved about one quarter ofan inch longitudinally. However, this distance of movement may begreater or less depending upon the yieldability or resiliency for thefinal ball desired by the manufacturer. If the angle of tilt of the camplates 24 and 25 is to be greater or less, it is only necessary to turnthe screw 36 and the stop pin 105, see FIG. 3, corresponding distances.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to thedetails of construction without departing from the general spirit of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a winding machine the combination of a ball in embryo, a housing,at least three rollers mounted on shafts having parallel axes journalledin said housing, at least two of said rollers at the bottom of saidthree rollers to support said ball, means for imparting a rotative forceto the shaft of one of said lower rollers, means comprising a disc fixedto the said lower roller shaft, a first fixed pin carried by the discand extending outwardly thereof on each side of the disc, a second pin,slidably carried by the disc, spaced from the first pin and extendingoutwardly of said disc on each side of the disc, a first and a secondcam plate on each side of the disc and spaced therefrom a distance equalto the outward extension of the pins whereby the pins will ride upon theinner faces of the plates when the disc is rotated with its shaft, saidcam plates and disc being disposed in spaced parallel relationship whenthe machine is in the neutral position for great circle winding, meanscoupled to the lower roller shaft for imparting a longitudinal action onsaid latter shaft, means intermittently actuating said longitudinalactuating means by tilting the cam plates with respect to the disc tobring the machine into and out of neutral position, means predeterminingthe actuation of said latter means into and out of neutral position,means slidably mounting the shaft of said upper roller normally to reston the ball in embryo to cooperate with said two lower rollers to imparta great circle winding rotation to the ball when said rollers are inneutral position relative to one another and to impart a basket weavewinding rotation to the ball when said one of said rollers is beingreciprocated, and a reel of rubber strip having the strip extending upfrom it to and between said rollers to and onto the ball in embryo.

2. A winding machine according to claim 1 in which the pins are formedwith friction reducing balls on each end thereof for contact with theadjacent plate faces.

3. A winding machine according to claim 1 in which the cam plates aretilted by a double acting cylindrical air valve under the control of amotor driven cam.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,982,933 12/ 1934 Sibley 242-32,465,992 4/1949 Atti 242-3 3,071,331 1/1963 Holman 242-3- 3,101,1798/1963 Harris 2423 BILLY S. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A WINDING MACHINE THE COMBINATION OF A BALL IN EMBRYO, A HOUSING,AT LEAST THREE ROLLERS MOUNTED ON SHAFTS HAVING PARALLEL AXES JOURNALLEDIN SAID HOUSING, AT LEAST TWO OF SAID ROLLERS AT THE BOTTOM OF SAIDTHREE ROLLERS TO SUPPORT SAID BALL, MEANS FOR IMPARTING A ROTATIVE FORCETO THE SHAFT OF ONE OF SAID LOWER ROLLERS, MEANS COMPRISING A DISC FIXEDTO THE SAID LOWER ROLLER SHAFT, A FIRST FIXED PIN CARRIED BY THE DISCAND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREOF ON EACH SIDE OF THE DISC, A SECOND PIN,SLIDABLY CARRIED BY THE DISC, SPACED FROM THE FIRST PIN AND EXTENDINGOUTWARDLY OF SAID DISC ON EACH SIDE OF THE DISC, A FIRST AND A SECONDCAM PLATE ON EACH SIDE OF THE DISC AND SPACED THEREFROM A DISTANCE EQUALTO THE OUTWARD EXTENDION OF THE PINS WHEREBY THE PINS WILL RIDE UPON THEINNER FACES OF THE PLATES WHEN THE DISC IS ROTATED WITH ITS SHAFT, SAIDCAM PLATES AND DISC BEING DISPOSED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP WHENTHE MACHINE IS IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION FOR GREAT CIRCLE WINDING, MEANSCOUPLED TO THE LOWER ROLLER SHAFT FOR IMPARTING A LONGITUDINAL ACTION ONSAID LATTER SHAFT, MEANS INTERMITTENTLY ACTUATING SAID LONGITUDINALACTUATING MEANS BY TILTING THE CAM PLATE WITH RESPECT TO THE DISC TOBRING THE MACHINE INTO AND OUT OF NEUTRAL POSITION, MEANS PREDETER-